My first foray into bread making was a flop. It didn't rise and was like a brick. Tossed that stuff straight into the trash. My next couple of loaves, while tastier, had the consistency of cake instead of bread. Very crumbly with a crust that could bread teeth. Plus, you would never have been able to make a sandwich with it. Back to the internet for more research. The few things I found out...
- I have no idea what the heck "Dough Conditioner" is, what it does or how to get it. (yes I know, you can find out every thing through Google.)
- Even in the KitchenAid, I have to knead the dough longer than the recipe calls for to "develop" the gluten. This keeps it from being crumbly.
- With wheat flour, it's best to create a "sponge" first. This allows the flour to hydrate and keeps you from adding too much flour. Dry dough=crumbly dough.
- Vital Wheat Gluten is important when using Whole Wheat Flour. What is Vital Wheat Gluten you ask. It's protein that has been extracted from flour. From what I gather, it's harder to develop the gluten in whole wheat flour. So you add a little extra, about 4 tsp per loaf, and you get a softer, less crumbly texture.
- It's important to "activate" your yeast 1st. Even if the recipe doesn't tell you to do it. You get a much higher rise if you do.
